A New Way of Adding Overnight Rooms to Sullivan

Stepheny McMahon

What are the pros and cons of allowing strangers into your home?
There are many different sites to help facilitate the short-term rental of homes, so do some research.  Even the three sites listed above offer different services for charging fees, payment transactions, and reviews rating the property.    
So why might someone coming to the area want to rent a private house?  First of all, Moultrie County has the largest campgrounds on the lake providing almost 200 campsites just north of Lake Shelbyville in Sullivan.  There are 44 overnight rooms including a motel, kitchenettes and cabins.  That’s not a lot of rooms when the lake itself attracts almost four million visitors per year.
Think about where you would ideally like to stay while vacationing, especially if travelling with your spouse and children.  Would you appreciate a full kitchen?  A yard?  A garage?  Will friends or in-laws be joining you?  Do you want private rooms for your guests?  Now, consider your home or any other property you own that might meet the needs of a couple or family who are visiting the area. 
A few questions you might want to ask yourself if you’re considering this opportunity:
 

• How do I feel about strangers staying in my home, with or without my being there?
• Do I mind keeping not only a tidy but a clean house as any guest would expect a clean property with fresh linens, bathrooms, etc?
• How would I feel if something in my home were stolen by a guest?
• What would I want if I were a guest in my home?  Visitor information?  A bottle of wine waiting when I arrived? A chocolate on the pillow?
• Am I willing to take the extra steps to ensure that renters have a positive experience and deal with any negatives that might occur?

Renting a home to visitors could be a lucrative business opportunity and could also be a lot of work so don’t forget to do your homework.  Residential zoning in Sullivan does allow for short-term rental of property.  However, owners could not place a sign in their yard and parking must be provided.  Also, Moultrie County has a 4% Hotel/Motel Tax which short-term renters are required to pay to the County Treasurer each month.  Some Homeowners Association rules or neighborhood guidelines prohibit short-term rentals of private homes so double check before considering this adventure.